Stay
by Yosuke
Summary: Upon Ganon's defeat, Link has chosen to live with Midna in the Twilight Realm as her knight. With a blossoming relationship between the hero and his new princess, the two now share in each others lives, as comrades and lovers. One-shot LinkxMidna, fluff.


Stay  
Yosuke

AN: My first fic in the Video Games category. I'm a little nervous to write something about Legend of Zelda, seeing as it has such a huge and faithful following, and not to mention the only games I've played are "Twilight Princess" and "Wind Waker" so I can't say I'm one of the more pious Zelda fans, however I loved the games so much and Link is such an interesting character that I couldn't avoid this forever. Besides, I like LinkxMidna so much, it's such a beautiful pairing. I mean, yeah, LinkxZelda is the natural selection and a great idea, but it's kind of fun to venture into other pairings every now and then, and I like this one so... Whoo.

I haven't really read through very many LOZ stories, but from what I've skimmed through, it seems to be the popular choice to have Link speak. I, for some reason, cannot fathom this option, and would much rather he stick to his original character design of zero dialogue. So for that purpose, Link will not speak at all during this story, and instead use his mannerisms as a form of communication. Will it all work out in the end for this poor author? Let's find out.

LOZ not mine.

* * *

The muddy path sloshed from under his feet as the rain continued to fall in a lazy drizzle. This pathway was not a popular one, but a faster route it was indeed that Link preferred to take. Long, sleek grey walls of what could only be called cliffs lined the narrow, jagged pathway as oddly-shaped birds-of-prey took to the sky, desperate to get out of the wolf's way, unknowing to how much of a threat the creature truly was not.

Nary a person traveled this pathway much. It was a hidden route just behind the castle grounds that offered little protection from the elements and occasional thief. It partially had to do with not many people knowing about it, but anyone who had traveled it before dared not to venture it again. It was too dangerous, too secluded and away from eyes of Samaritans. Bad weather made the road dangerous, and occasionally a piece of wall could slip away from the rest and come crashing down in a fit of bad luck. No one liked this road. Honestly, Link didn't either. But it was the fastest way back to the castle, the quickest way back to her.

Link raced hurriedly down the road, breaking through the cynical twists and turns to finally come across an opening where the castle broke into view. Taking a few floating platforms and a hidden staircase, the wolf made a cautious entrance into the castle, eyes casting upward at guards who silently let him pass. He was grateful for their cooperation as his padded paws made for a quiet canter into the narrow hallways. Up another flight of stairs, down another hallway, and through a half-open door, Link came upon what he referred to as the "foyer" of the royal bedchambers. Just beyond the next set of doors was a princess, one he desperately needed to see, and one he knew needed to see him in return. At the least, she needed something from him.

A black satchel swung gracelessly from his neck, its lightweight ingredients making the task of carrying it easy and almost unnoticeable.

Link approached the doors and listened carefully for any voices from the other side. After hearing none, he lifted a paw and scratched lightly at the door as a warning that he would enter. When he heard no welcoming command, Link pushed the door open with his head and walked in quietly, the tapping of his claws against the stone floor the only sign that he was moving. His gaze fell on the large bed against the far wall of the room.

Underneath the plush, silky covers lay a form, unmoving and silent. The wolf whined once, high-pitched and sad, to try and get her attention. Finally, the lump shifted a little, and an orange head lifted to see over her shoulder. Her lack of strength was apparent in her shaking arms as her fine orange hair spilled to the side. When her red eyes managed to focus, she smiled wearily at the sight of her friend.

"Oh... it's just you, fuzzball."

Link bowed his head in acknowledgement as he approached the bed, settling into a sitting position a polite distance away, tired eyes staring at her in return. Midna gave a halfhearted sigh.

"Where have you been? It's been two days. I almost thought you'd ran off on me or something."

Link retorted with an annoyed growl, and Midna shook her head, scoffing.

"I was just kidding, calm down." Grunting, she lied herself back down, smiling weakly at the wolf. "Change back, Link. It's easier to talk to a person than a wolf."

Link's eyes seemed to reflect contemplation before nodding in a human-manner. Quickly he stood on all fours before his shadow twisted from beneath him and covered his body completely, turning the grey fur black. After a moment, the form of a wolf contorted to that of a human, and Link broke through the shadows as they returned to their place beneath his body. Now able to, he rose himself from his hands and knees to stand beside the bed, blue eyes watching red ones. Midna smiled happily at the return of her lover and extended a hand to him.

"I'm not gonna lie. I kinda missed you, blondie."

Link slowly took her hand, stepping closer to the bed to watch her shaking form from under the sheets. Despite her seemingly carefree attitude, Midna was anything but. She was sick and had been for several days. She'd assured him many times that it was nothing serious, but Link wouldn't relax until he heard it from a doctor. No one was sure what she had or where she'd gotten it, but considering it seemed to be nothing worse than a cough, a headache, a fever, and notable weariness, no one seemed to be overly-concerned. Still, Link had taken no chances, and at the behest of a doctor, had taken off into the mountains to find an apothecary. The trip had taken two days, but it had proven fruitful. The apothecary gave Link a bush root that, when cooked the right way, could heal strange ailments that fit her description. The trip had been long and dangerous, but nothing short of worthwhile. He'd received a treatment for Midna, the Twilight Princess, the woman he'd sworn his life to by his sword, and would risk whatever he needed to for her sake.

Midna seemed to notice the lost look in Link's eyes and pinched the skin on his wrist. It startled him a little, reality returning to his face as he watched her carefully, eyes slightly unfocused. The princess laughed a little. "You're tired, Link. Go dry off and get some rest. I'll still be here when you get back."

He'd hardly even noticed how wet he was. It had been raining, after all. Slightly embarrassed by the amount of water he'd tracked in, Link wiped his hands dry as if the wetness touching Midna's hands had somehow insulted her. Once his hands moved to take the satchel from around his neck, Midna raised a hand to stop him.

"Take it downstairs to a chef. I'm sure he'll know how to cook it. While he's doing that, you catch some shut-eye. I doubt you've slept on your trip, right?"

The look on Link's face seemed to suggest an argument was coming on, but Midna's hand once again stopped him.

"Link, I've been sleeping for the past four days. I doubt anything will happen in the next hour. Please, go dry off before you get sick, too."

The man watched her silently, unmoving and unsure if he wanted to leave, but finally he conceded and bowed his head reverently, then turned and left, eyes darting over his shoulder as if to make sure she wouldn't disappear into thin air in his absence.

Link had become accustomed to taking orders from Midna a long time ago. She always seemed to know just what to do when she'd acted as his guide during their adventures together. She'd never steered him wrong, so it was strange to not believe her when she suggested something so confidently. But Link didn't question her. She was no longer his guide, but his princess. After the defeat of Ganondorf and Princess Zelda's rescue, Hyrule and the Twilight Realm had become peaceful once more. Midna, however, had declared the two points of reality become separated, and at the suggestion, Link had visibly become disheartened, body shaking at the chance to leap to her side before it was too late. But he'd sworn his allegiance to Hyrule, and Princess Zelda needed him. Zelda had seen this too, and gently told Link it was his choice to make, that he follow the path he desired most. Link felt obligated to stay for Princess Zelda, as Hyrule may need him, plus he had a village to return to, and not to mention his Master Sword had no business being aligned to anyone other than the Hyruleans.

But inside, Link was torn. He'd experienced both the light and shadow, and seen what beautiful places they both could be. Zelda was his born leader, but Midna had become his princess.

He'd turned to her then, staring at Midna's departing form and seeking desperately for some answer. Her red eyes were sad, but held no influence whatsoever. Zelda was the one to break the silence, smiling softly and touching his shoulder. "Go, Link. You've done your work well here. Now do what you desire. You deserve that much."

It was all the encouragement he had needed. Link smiled and bowed deeply to the Hyrulean Princess, unsheathing his sword and displaying it towards her with both hands, the most respectful gesture he could make. But Zelda had put up her hand to stop him, shaking her head.

"No, it belongs with you. Keep it as a link between the two worlds. Keep it to remember us."

Much to Midna's surprise, as she passed through the mirror, Link soon followed, leaping through the realms to land before her. Everything after that passed like a blur, for it was the happiest moment in either of their lives.

After that, Link had been dubbed by Midna upon her return to the Twilight Castle. He was now her bodyguard, her personal knight, and dare she say her beau. The two had quickly become lovers, a title Link was cautious about publicizing on behalf of the princess's interest, but Midna had seen no qualms with being open about it. She understood Link's point-of-view on it, how a princess was only supposed to promise herself to a man of equal standing and not a mere knight, but after what she'd sacrificed for her kingdom and her people, and for everything Link had done for them, no one dared to object to the relationship. If their princess was happy, then they were happy.

Shortly after becoming a citizen of the Twilight Realm, Midna had imbued Link with a short range of powers that would accommodate his new life, things that he could not control before, such as changing into a Twilight beast. While his Master Sword, charged with the power of Light, could help him retain his human form, the power Midna had given him allowed him to change back into the wolf creature he'd become used to traveling as. Before he'd needed Midna to change his body for him, but now he was in complete control. Midna had seemed confused when Link had asked for that power, as she couldn't imagine why he'd need to change into a wolf anymore. She thought he'd find the form useless and a haunting reminder of the dark adventure they'd taken.

The form had meant more to Link than Midna had realized though, and he'd enlightened her about how it linked him to her. As a citizen of Twilight, he wanted to keep both his dark form and his light form. Plus, it seemed fitting to remain a wolf. A wolf was territorial and protected its pack. A dog was faithful and guarded its owner. Midna owned him and lead his life. Being such a fitting beast was more than anything he could ask for if it helped to protect his love and pledge his allegiance to her. Midna had said it was all unnecessary, that she could take care of herself, but the request had been all too flattering, and after a short argument, she conceded happily and gave Link the powers he asked for.

* * *

Link tied a sash around his waist to hold the black tunic he wore closed. He wasn't particularly fond of black clothing, but he had to admit, the material was beautiful. He couldn't even identify what kind of fabric it was, and could only marvel at the soft hue of blue it seemed to give off. Perhaps the clothes he wore translated his powers into a physical appearance? He could only speculate.

He laid his wet clothes out on a chair for the servants to collect, then checked his appearance once over in a mirror. The black tunic was a little bit too big for him, and he hesitated showing himself to Midna in it. Recently she'd been teasing him about his small stature (now that she was full-sized again). True, his frame and build had never been anything to cause any intimidation, but his true power was nothing to scoff at, and everyone knew it.

The black slacks he wore were about the right size and baggy in design, flaring at his calves but collected at his ankles. He'd become accustomed to wearing a hat, so to see himself without one always threw him off. Midna enjoyed it, though. She'd commented on how much she liked his hair, so he had considered showing himself to her without the hat every now and then.

The outfit he had worn for his journey with Midna was gone. The green tunic given to him by the gods had been replaced by his new princess for the purposes of fitting into this world so strange and new to him. His knightly wardrobe now consisted of a tough, black tunic and black pants, sleek metal padding on his forearms and shoulders that seemingly glowed with the blue hue of the Twilight, a black cap that extended further than his old one and tapered off into a shadowy mist, and black boots capped with silver buckles. He still sported a chain-mail shirt underneath (an accessory that had come in handy so many occasions before that Link felt far more obligated to wear it than Midna had agreed with), and now he wore fingerless black leather gloves lined at the cuff with grey fur.

The outfit seemed simple to him, and he enjoyed it, as did Midna. It suited him now, and it always seemed to make Midna smile. Or maybe she was just smiling at him? It was hard to tell sometimes.

But above the outfit or anything he could ever wear, there was one piece that he never dared to take off, one he felt he just couldn't part with. He lifted his left arm to look at it longingly.

Around his wrist was the shackle, the rusty piece of metal he'd acquired when first ensnared by the Twilight Realm. The chain-links dangled from the cuff lightly, only three still remaining after the initial escape. He'd only ever worn the shackle when he was a wolf. For some reason, when he changed back into a human, the shackle vanished. But secretly, as the journey with Midna to save Zelda had continued, he'd grown to like the shackle. He felt it somehow signified his bond with Midna. She'd been the one to free him from the chain that bound him in that cell. She'd never removed the shackle, and he found that very significant, like she'd kept it on him for a reason. She wanted him to be bound to her, and he wanted to be bound. The shackle was significant to him; it kept him to her, so he'd asked Midna to make it visible all the time, in both human and wolf forms. He hadn't explained his reasoning, so Midna was understandably confused, but she agreed and did what he asked. To that day, Link still wasn't sure if she understood, but didn't bother to let her in on his reasoning. He figured he'd just let her find out for herself.

He'd already carried the satchel to a chef to have it prepared and ready by the time he was done. Upon returning to the kitchen, he found a tray waiting for him. On it was a silver pitcher and one intricately designed teacup. His fingertips grazed the side of the pitcher to test its temperature. It was still hot. Giving it his silent appraisal, he lifted the tray carefully and carried it upstairs to the waiting princess, who had perched herself up to lay against the layers of pillows provided. Link frowned in disagreement with her sudden repositioning and approached her quietly, setting the tray down on a bedside table. Midna's red eyes followed him acutely.

"Well, don't you look handsome."

Link smothered the urge to blush.

"I like it when you don't wear a hat. Your hair is so nice." She reached out a lethargic hand to brush a lock from the side of his face. Her fingertips traced along his cheekbone in the process, and Link valued the unintentional affection. However, he was far too unfamiliar with such personal treatment, and after only a short moment, he ducked away gracefully to retrieve the dainty teacup from the tray and carefully poured it almost to the brim with the broth from the root. It was brown in color, speckled with flecks of pulp from the root, and as thin as water. The smell was nearly repulsive, but Link imagined that the chef had done all he could to make the substance as _not_ undesirable as possible. Link hoped for the best and handed the hot cup to Midna, who stared at it cautiously for a few seconds before frowning in disapproval and taking it from him. "It looks gross."

Link gave her a stern glance, which Midna took as a scolding and rolled her eyes.

"Would you drink it if you were in my spot?"

Link gently pushed her hands clasping the cup closer to her as if the question had been a threat. The princess scoffed and brought it closer to her face.

"Okay, spoil-sport, I'm drinking it." But as it neared her lips, she caught a whiff of the horrible smell and recoiled, holding the glass away from her. "Oh my god, it smells like death!"

Her knight carefully nudged her hands back towards her, but she adamantly kept them away, pouting like a child.

"This is disgusting! I'm not drinking it!"

The reverse tug-o-war went on for a few more moments, Link uncharacteristically becoming quite impatient as his princess weakly struggled to keep the teacup at arm's length. Finally, Link sighed and released her hands, leaning away from her. Midna noticed the sudden departure and opened her eyes, glancing up at her knight. Blue eyes were staring at her sadly before Link bowed his head once in reverence and turned to take the tray from the bedside table. With an apathetic look on his face, he started to walk from the room. His stride was slow and mood forlorn. The evidence was overwhelming and Midna nearly choked on it. Link was upset, not with her, but because she would be sick longer because she wasn't taking what she needed to get better. He had already worried himself sick over her, and she was just making it worse.

Midna tried to growl in disappointment, but found she had not even the strength to do that. Giving an exasperated sigh, she rolled her eyes and settled back against her plush pillows. "Okay! Fine, I'll drink the crap."

Her lilting voice threaded with such unbecoming words caught his attention, and Link stopped just short of the doorway, looking over his shoulder just in time to see Midna, eyes screwed shut and breath held, downing the whole glass of yucky brown liquid. Once it was empty, the princess tossed the glass onto the bedsheets and exhaled sharply as if she'd just been strangled rather than forced to drink something gross-tasting.

"There! You happy, blondie?" Midna shot out as she nudged herself down deeper into her pillow pile, crossing her arms childishly. "That stuff better work. I don't feel like being sick anymore."

Link's boyish smile returned as he walked back to her bedside, setting the tray back down and taking the fallen teacup from the sheets. He gave her an approving nod as he set the glass onto the tray, then took a seat beside her on the bed. Midna's eyes held suspicion.

"You... That was an act, wasn't it? You did it to hook sympathy so I'd drink that stuff."

Link's blue eyes lowered to his lap for a moment before peeking back up at her, an embarrassed smile on his face. Midna grunted softly.

"I never knew you had a sense of humor. I feel like I should be mad but I'm not. Not very, anyway."

The timid expression and warm smile that responded to her words quelled Midna's frustration. It was so hard to stay mad at him, even though he barely ever did anything to make her upset. He was a saint, for lack of better term. It seemed his sole mission in life was to make hers better. If she was ever hurt, he was the first one by her side. If she was sad, he smiled for her. And whenever she needed him, he was there. It was so sappy, she knew, but he was the one for her. He was her life, and she was his forever.

Midna found herself touching his cheek again, unaware that her hand had even moved. Link seemed to appreciate the gesture and raised his hand as well, gently placing it over hers. The gaze they shared was intense for a long moment before Midna could no longer find the strength to lock eyes and dropped her hand, sighing and rolling her head to the side. Link grew alert for a moment, but Midna shrugged the moment off.

"I'm exhausted, Link. I think that bile you had me drink made me even sicker."

She earned a worried glare from the young man, and Midna could only scoff.

"I'm just kidding. But seriously, I think I need to catch a little more shut-eye. Go do something fun, okay? Don't keep yourself cooped up in here with me. You deserve a break." The princess patted his hand reassuringly before snuggling down into the thick blankets. "You don't have to play watch dog for the rest of your life, y'know. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

The knight had a long moment of internal debate, staring at the relaxed form of his princess and wondering what to do next. Finally, the words seemed to sink in and convince him, and Link stood from the bed, tucking the bedsheets in around Midna so that not even the tiniest draft of cold air could make it past her shoulders. Then with great reluctance, Link left the room, shutting the door behind him.

He wasn't sure what to do after that. Part of him told him to obey his princess's orders and go do something he enjoyed. Perhaps take a walk outside? The moon had been painfully beautiful that night when he was running back to the castle, and he always enjoyed taking a few moments to stargaze every now and then... but his dutiful and sometimes disobedient side said to turn right back into a wolf and sit at her doorstep, listening and waiting patiently for her next command. Link strongly imagined Midna cussing him out in the morning if he tried to do such a thing, but truthfully she wouldn't be mad, not at him. She was never mad at him. She could get a little frustrated sometimes, but never would the words "You disappoint me" or "I hate you" or even "I don't like that about you" ever fall from her lips.

But to be honest, the words "I love you" had never been heard either. Link turned to look over his shoulder at the door he'd just closed, eyes seeing past the obstacle and straight into the mind of his princess. She was shy. It wasn't obvious, but she was far more introverted than she came off as. Discussing her own feelings was hard for her, and Link could only imagine it had to do with a royal upbringing. Duty came before needs or wants. Midna had probably been taught to push her own feelings aside and do what was in the best interest of others. The result had been good for everyone else except her. It wasn't like she had turned into a bad person, she was just... very uncomfortable in her own skin sometimes.

Perhaps he should've been seeking a way to make her feel more comfortable? Aside from her sickness, she probably needed a hand right then. But what could he do for her? A princess already had everything she wanted, and the moral support of an entire country. Was there really anything special Link could do other than just be there?

After a few frustratingly silent moments of contemplation, Link gave out an uncharacteristically exasperated sigh and trotted downstairs to find something to do. He had to occupy his mind or he'd go stir-crazy.

Somehow, he found himself drinking with an off-duty guard in a study. Link wasn't sure where the alcohol supply had come from, nor was he aware what kind of alcohol they were actually drinking (whatever it was, it was working), but the knight couldn't complain. The racket the guard was making was amusing and profoundly appreciated by Link's burdened mind, and while the other man had carried on several one-sided conversations and a few drunken rants about the lowered quality of steel nowadays, Link sat quietly in a cushioned chair, drawing faux hieroglyphics on a lacquered table with the condensation from his glass. The two had lost track of the time some while ago, but with how much they had drunk, neither were surprised by that. Link was actually fairly certain that the other man had more than likely forgotten who he was talking to, as further and further into the conversations, the guard had referred to Link as "some pretty blonde wench".

Nights seemed to pass far more slowly in this realm than it did in his homeland, though Link wasn't exactly sure why. All he knew was that what seemed like hours later, near the breaking of dawn, two guards came into the study to find their smashed comrade curled up in the corner with his mug buried in his arms. Link, for the most part, had dozed off in his chair, but awoke when the two entered the room, trained senses becoming alert at the potential-intruders. The guards merely grumbled and carried their unconscious friend from the room like an invalid, stopping briefly to bow respectfully to Link, who only had the strength and clarity to nod back in appreciation. Once the three were gone and Link was alone, he yawned deeply and sank back into his chair, delighted at how his body heat had transferred to the material of the seat. The room was a little chilly... Perhaps he should've returned upstairs to curl up with Midna.

No, he couldn't. She was sick and wanted her privacy, something he tried desperately to honor. He'd just wait it out in the study, too tired to get up and light a fire in the fireplace, and too sleepy to care that he was falling unconscious in a room available to practically anyone inside the castle.

Link couldn't have guessed how much time had passed by, though by the visible amount of inactivity in the hallways just outside the study doors, he'd say it'd only been an hour or so. It was still early morning, and the dark sun was still struggling to awaken the inhabitants of the Twilight realm. No one could be bothered to wake up yet, except for one creature whose name quickly surfaced to Link's mind as he stared into her glittering red eyes.

Midna stood over him, swaddled in an over-sized black silky gown and her hair simply a mess. She swayed on her feet and her eyes reflected the fatigue Link was sure she was feeling from the sickness. But the mere fact that she was standing spoke volumes about her condition now. The root broth must have really helped, for before she was far too weak to even lift her head from her pillow. Now she had managed to make it all the way downstairs and into the study, and who knew if that was even the first place she had gone looking for her bodyguard.

Carefully, she leaned down and cupped his face in her small hands, staring directly into his drowsy eyes. "Hey, blondie. Come back upstairs."

Link's lethargic response was to raise a hand and gently press the backs of his fingers to her forehead, testing her temperature. It took a moment, but Midna realized what he was doing and slowly pulled her head away, taking his hand into her own.

"I'm fine. At least, I'm doing better now. Thanks to you. Now, come on." She stood straight, still holding his hand, and drew him to his feet. He wobbled a little, but forced himself to walk upright and followed his princess back upstairs. Once they were inside the bedchambers, Link allowed himself to be a little less steady on his feet, as he wasn't quite sure how much longer he'd have been able to stay standing. A little less than graceful, he collapsed on the bed, face-down. It seemed his two-day trek and lack of sleep was finally catching up with him.

His eyes shot open and he quickly jerked himself up, twisting to see Midna. She was at the window, holding open the drapes and staring out into the fading night sky. The way the twilight lit up her hair made Link catch his breath. It almost looked like it was on fire... She was such a fascinating creature to him. Her skin was that amazing pale blue color, and in that light he could just barely make out the very light traces of patterning that layered just above her flesh, making her seem more like a priceless artifact than a living creature. No... she was a goddess, his own personal deity, the one he'd sworn his life to, and the one he'd remain beside forever. This was his princess.

"It's a pretty moon tonight, huh?" she asked in a sleepy voice, but she caught her tone and tried to force herself into a more wakeful mood. "Ahh, don't say it, I already know it's coming. I've been sleeping for the past four days and I want to stay up now, so don't tell me to get back into bed." She peeked over her shoulder to see what her knight's reaction would be, but to her surprise, all she saw of him was his tired face staring at her like she was a mesmerizing piece of artwork rather than the comrade he'd traveled with not so long ago. The stare was unfamiliar to her, and Midna found herself blushing in response, quickly looking away before he caught it. "What's with that look? Knock it off, it's weird."

The young man slid off the bed and approached her quietly, still a little wobbly on his feet, and stood by her at the window. Still refusing to look back at him, she drew her robe around her more tightly.

"Maybe _you_ should be sleeping right now. You look like you're gonna pass out." It wasn't a complete lie; he did look a little out-of-it, but Midna would've rather avoided the embarrassing details of why he was giving her that lovey-dovey look right then.

Link, seemingly unaware of his own actions, slid his hands onto Midna's waist from behind her and pressed his forehead to her shoulder. She jerked a little, unused to such personal contact. He was very still behind her, and for a moment Midna thought he might've slipped into slumber on his feet, but the lightest twitching of his fingers and the slight flutter of eyelashes against her skin told her otherwise. Sighing in defeat, she slid her own hands over his and closed her eyes, becoming absorbed in the moment of intimacy, something that rarely passed between them, save for a few brave nights at Midna's behest.

"Link", Midna spoke very softly, as if the mere sound of her voice could shatter the passive morning around them. "I don't know if I ever told you this, but..." She opened her eyes and stared out the window. "I'm really glad you stayed with me."

The only response she got was a light groan and a slight nod against her shoulder.

"I guess I really... still just don't understand why it is you wouldn't stay with Zelda... You were born of her land, in the light... So why me? Why the Twilight?" Midna didn't dare to try to make any eye contact with Link, at the risk of severe embarrassment over being so sentimental. "Why did you stay with me and not her?"

She supposed it was silly of her to expect a response when Link was clearly not the type for talking much, and considering how sleepy he was, she doubted he'd be able to form a coherent response before slipping to the floor in a near-coma. It was foolish of her to be questioning him like this; he needed sleep.

Turning against him, she took his hands into her own and lead him to the bed where she urged him to lay down, but he struggled weakly, physically insisting that he remain standing. "Stop it, Link," she gently scolded him, stepping back out of his reach from where he sat on the giant mattress. "Sleep. Please?"

Finally, Link seemed to concede, perhaps against his own will, because his eyes blinked lethargically at her whilst his head shook slowly to argue with her. One light shove caused the knight to topple backwards, and from there he gave up, closing his eyes and curling onto his side, almost childlike, to sleep for a good long time. Midna smiled down at her guard and yawned lightly, taking a seat next to his sleeping form. She had never gotten an answer from him, but in all honesty, it didn't matter to her. Whatever reason Link had chosen to stay here with her would be more than enough for her, and she would accept his presence gratefully. He loved her, and that was all she needed.

Though part of her really did want to interrogate him more thoroughly about his reasoning.

The princess decided to let it drop for the night and lay down next to her knight, though they weren't positioned properly on the bed for sleeping. She still felt weary from her illness and hoped that the rest she still needed wouldn't last any longer than the sleep Link clearly needed; she enjoyed waking up before him. It let her know that he was indeed resting properly and not pushing himself too hard like he had a tendency to do.

Resting her forehead against his and reveling in the cool contact of chilled skin against her flushed face, Midna closed her eyes and let sleep overcome her, content in the knowledge that her faithful knight slept close by where she could keep an eye on him. And just as she slipped into a comfortable dream-laden unconsciousness, she swore she felt a pair of lips on her own, kissing her very lightly and lovingly.

She felt like she should be mad, for once again she had been tricked by her lover, as she felt the weight on the bed next to her shift and a gentle hand begin to sift through her hair. She had never known he had such a sense of humor. She felt like she should be mad but she wasn't. Not very, anyway.

"Cheater..." she mumbled out before she slipped into slumber.

* * *

Ze end.

* * *

AN: Done. Done done done. You read. Good job. Write a review. Write write write. For me. Love love love. Derp derp derp.


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